Fabric stretching and straightening apparatus



lm 30L1940- P. A. SPL-:RRY 2,188,665

FABRIC STRETCHING'AND STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS Filed March 1l, 185'? 2Sheets-Sheet 1 I@ A mw" 11m||||||mmun||||m I mi INVENTOR- ATTORNEYS.

Jam 30,1940. RA, SP'ERRY 2,188,665

FABRIC STRETCHING AND STRAKIGHTENING APPARATUS Filed March ll, 193'? 2Sheets-Shet 2 A v I @Ef-Vf" il ig i n i 1MM I t:Iii v M l NVENTOR. l/a'zzZ/ fp@ ffy ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l FABRIC STRETCHINGAND STRAIGHTEN- ING APPARATUS 1 Claim. `This invention relates tocloth-stretching mechanisms, and in particular to an apparatus foropening out a web of moving fabric or cloth from rope-like form tostraighten out the same 5 and provide a smooth web free from wrinkles,

puckers or folds along the edge of the cloth by the use of simplemechanical means. I

Another object of the invention is the provision of a reel fordelivering a length of cloth in 10 rope-form to a pair of feed rollersand with guide rolls for use in opening out and also guiding the clothfrom rope-like form into a straightened condition as it is inserted andpassed between the feed rollers.

16 Another object of the invention is the provision of a, device foropening the cloth which will act diagonally thereon in a very simple andetlicient manner, while the cloth is travelling to and through thefeeding rolls so that a continuous 20 straightening operation may beperformed.

Another object of the invention is the use of guide rolls instead ofscutchers, thereby using a more simple and less expensive apparatus foraccomplishing the desired operation.

25 With these and other objects in view, the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described,and

particularly 'pointed out in the appended claim.

`In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view showing a fragmental portion of a straightenedweb of cloth showing myguiders arranged in position for holding theopposite marginal edge portions thereof to maintain the cloth in astretched-out condition;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view' showing diagrammatically the reel and feedrollers in operating relationship and embodying my guide and openingmeans; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of my guiders and opener members.

In certain textile operations, it is desirable to cause an opening-outand straightening of the fabric while it is in motion and from arope-like condition into a straightened smooth web as it is 'beingcontinually moved in a rectilineal direction for the performance ofvarious subsequent operations as it is being processed and withoutstopping the cloth; heretofore scutchers were used in this operation;and in order to accomplish this result in a simple manner, I haveprovided a cloth opening and straightening mechanism comprising a reelaround which the fabric or cloth in rope form is conveyed, and fromwhich it is delivered at right angles to the reel across a considerabledistance to a pair 'of feed rollers (el. ca -54) and from thence on to atenter or some other machine, and in order that the cloth Will be inserted and drawn between the feed rolls in a smooth, straightened,unwrinkled condition I have provided a pair of guide rolls adjacent to 5and in advance of the feed rolls and disposed above and beneath thesurfaces of the cloth for engaging the opposite borders thereof, withthe axes of each pair of the guide rolls inclined at an. angle to thedirection of motion of the cloth 10 to grip and move it outwardly. Therolls are operated by a iiuid actuated mechanism con-- nected with oneof the rolls of each pair in order to cause engagement and release ofthe cloth to impart a nip thereto so that as they 16 rotate in unison ontheir inclined axes their surfaces act to exert a pull on the margins orborders of the cloth in substantially a transverse direction of thelatter as it advances to transversely stretch the same and thusstraighten out 20 the cloth and free the latter from its rope formation,th`us eliminating the use of the heretofore more complicated mechanismat this location and obtaining an equivalent satisfactory result; andthe following is a more detailed de- 25 scription of the presentembodiment of this invention, illustrating the preferred means by whichthese advantageous results may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawings, I0 designates 30 a reel mounted torotate about a horizontal axis, shown as shaft II mounted in suitablebearings in the spaced hangers I2 which are supported in a dependingposition from the ceiling, beams or other convenient parts of thebuilding. A pul- 35 ley I3 is xed on the outer end of the shaft II ofthe reel I II and serves to transmit the driving power for rotating thereel. Also depending from the ceiling of the building is the frame I5having spaced upright members I 6, one of which 40 carries a pair ofrings or pot eyes I1 which are mounted to conveniently guide the rope tothe reel here shownvwith their axes at right angles and located in thesame vertical plane. The pot eyes I1 may be made of any hard, smooth ma-45 terial, such as porcelain or other well-known, wear-resistingmaterial which will present a smooth surface.

As shown in Fig. 2, the cloth I8 in its twisted or roped form is drawnup through the open- 50 ing of the pot eyes II and passes around anupright I9 secured to the frame I5, then up and around the reel I0 fromwhich it is drawn in a direction at right anglesto the axis of the reeland extends for a considerable rectilineal dis- 55 tance in a long span,which may often be some thirty or forty feet, to a feeding device 2lihaving a pair of power driven feed rollers 2| and 22. The reel I0 andthe rollers 2| and 22 of the feeding device 20 are mounted to rotateabout axes so related as to be disposed along substantially parallellines. The cloth is opened out and straightened during its passage.

As shown in Fig. 1, the feed rollers 2| and 22 are suitably mounted forrotation upon parallel axes, or shafts (not shown) which are journaledin suitable bearings in the spaced hangers 24 and 25 suspended from theceiling of the room, the cloth I8 being inserted and passed between thefeed rollers in a straightened condition.

In advance of the feed rollers 2| and 22, I have provided guide rollers26, 21, 28 and 29, arranged in pairs and oppositely disposed across themoving cloth for engaging theopposite edges thereof. Each pair of guiderolls 26, 21, 28 and 29 are inclined diagonally or set at an angle tothe surface of the cloth and extend transversely thereof in thedirection of feed of the fabric through the feed rollers 2| and 22 so asto grip and laterally spread and stretch the cloth to untwist the same.The pairs of guide rolls 26, 21 and 28, 28 respectively, are mounted ina hinged frame 38 which is moved by a iluid pressure device 3| having adiaphragm 32 automatically controlled by a feeler mechanism 33 whichengages an edge of the moving fabric and so arranged that should thefabric run off a smallamount from center one of the pairs of guide rollswilly be rendered inoperative and caused to open up suflicientlytorelease their grip on .the selvage edge of the cloth while allowingthe other pair of guide rolls to transversely pull the cloth back intocentralized position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the feedrolls. A guider device of this character may be constructed as shown anddescribed in more detail in my co-pending application, Serial No.88,585, led July 2, 1936, which became U. S. Patent No. 2,170,578.

These roll units by being located on the framework of the feed rollsheretofore described and being sufciently sensitive to operate quicklyand cause a firm grip of the fabric, serve to open out the fabric toitsdesired extent and which assisted somewhat by the length of travel andWeight of the fabric also guide the fabric so that a substantial centerline of feed may be maintained, and as far as I know, the location ofthese guiding and gripping rolls 26, 21, 28 and 28 for the purpose ofserving to open out and also guide the fabric as it is delivered in ropeform has never heretofore been done, but instead scutchers have beenused for this purpose, vthe scutchers being amuch more expensiveapparatus than the simple guider rolls which are utilized in thisconnection. v

. The foregoing description is directed solely towards the constructionillustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve theprivilegeA .of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which thedevice is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only bythe terms of the appended claim.

I claim: f

A flat web fabric stretching and straightening apparatus comprising areel, means for guiding the fabric in rope-form to said reel so as toconduct the fabric over said reel, means for rotating said reel, powerdriven feed rolls between which the fabric is passed positioned at asufcient distance from said reel to provide a substantial sag in thefabric without support therebetween to partially open the ropeformation'thereof to a substantially flat web formation, a pair of guiderolls adjacent to said feed rolls and in advance thereof, said guiderolls being mounted for rotation onv axes which are inclined diagonallyin the direction of the movement of th'e fabric and movable toward andfrom each other to engage and grip the opposite marginal selvagesurfaces of the moving fabric and pull the same laterally, so as tocompletely straighten out the moving fabric by exerting a transversepull thereon.

PAUL A. SPERRY.

